Friday, 10 November 2017

October

2nd
A bright but windy day at Seasalter produced 3 marsh harriers coming over from Sheppey and along the LNR c.1250 brents plus one grey plover which still retained some its breeding plumage.

3rd.
I went to Oare seeing the black-necked grebe, Wilson's phalarope and long-billed dowitcher.

Black-necked Grebe

Wilson's Phalarope

Long-billed Dowitcher

8th Oct.

At SS the incoming tide revealed c1500 black-tailed godwits and a similar number of brents. Flying up to roost and on the flats I had a count of 86 egrets and on the seas 45 great crested grebes.

23rd

A late afternoon visit to SS revealed c.1200 brents, 1 grey plover and a late swallow.

24th

My first grey wagtail of the year was on the beach near the plots entrance, the plots were quiet. Further on by the YC., 3 grey wagtails, a count of 27 egrets, a couple of grey plovers, curlews and oystercatchers. At the LNR., a stonechat, 2 swans, a wheatear, and on the back fields, 20 lapwings and c.250 golden plovers roosting. Further on another 2 wheatears, 22 chaffinches west and a kestrel.

3 late Wheatears.

25th

A trip to Knole Park to photograph the fallow deer rut. Should go early or late in the day but I was lucky as a few of them had an arguement.

29th

A strong northerly blow this morning at SS, hoped for some close action as the tide receded......c.200 bar-tailed godwits came to amongst the brent, oystercatchers and curlew plus just one knot. I have not seen any big flocks of knot yet and I also noted I've not seen any juvenile brents amongst the large flocks.. Loads of gannets in the mouth of the Swale, many young ones, several coming close.

I later went over to Hampton thinking I might get some better shots, luckily one gannet came fairly close, unfortunately it seemed to have some vegetation jammed in its mouth. Also saw 4 little gulls and a couple of auks and kittiwakes.

30th

Another look at SS starting with a count of 91 ringed plover, 24 redshank, 1 sanderling, 9 grt bb gulls and 1 egret by the 'island' roost. At the LNR another swallow and walking down the back track to the road I flushed a woodcock and in the bushes by the Sportsman, 4 redwings and a couple of fieldfares, a pair of stonechats, 1 cetti's, 1 marsh harrier and 4 blackbirds.